Finished Re-reading

Finished re-reading “Letter From Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr. Why re-read? First, everyone should read this letter. Second, Plato reminded me to re-read this letter. Then MLK reminded me to re-read Plato. Here’s what happened. 

I’m working my way through a twelve volume reading guide through The Great Books. You read that right: I have a 12 volume reading guide for a 50 volume set of books. I don’t own that 50 volume set, but I’ve collected each work contained therein independently. But I digress. Why do I read? 

Educational philosopher Robert M Hutchins wrote that “. . . citizenship requires that you understand the world in which you live and that you do not leave your duties to be performed by others, living vicariously and vacuously on their virtue and intelligence. A free society is a society composed of free men. To be free you have to be educated for freedom. This means that you have to think; for the free man is one who thinks for himself. It means that you have to think, for example, about the aims of life and of organized society.” I read to be a better person, a better citizen. 

Inspired by Richard Dreyfus, I returned to the start of my reading plan, and in preparation for covering the subject of justice and injustice as developed by Plato, I rediscovered a penciled note I left for myself in the margin. It says, “read ‘Letter From Birmingham Jail’ by Martin Luther King, Jr.” So I did. Again. 

Socrates’ experience in “Crito” and “The Apology” center on injustice, which is also the reason for MLK’s letter. Many questions answered by Socrates become timeless, as MLK demonstrates that the problem of injustice has not yet been solved. Should an unjust law be obeyed? What should a citizen do about unjust laws when they are applied? What are the duties and responsibilities of citizens concerning unjust law? Is one justified to disobey a direct but unjust law? These questions could be asked of Socrates or MLK. 

One sentence from MLK’s letter summarizes his entire letter. He wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Socrates would agree with MLK observing that the “powers that be” are more concerned about the action of those doing something instead of being concerned about the conditions that inspired that action. They are more concerned with effects and not the underlying cause. 

Part of MLK’s definition of just and unjust law says “any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.” The civil disobedience of Socrates inspired MLK to lead as he did, citing Socrates by name at least 4 times in his letter alongside other biblical and historical figures who were truth-extremists. MLK lays out four basic steps to a nonviolent campaign: collect facts in order to determine if injustice is being committed; negotiate; self-purify to make certain one is not contributing to the injustice; and, direct action. It could be argued these steps are found in The Apology, only Socrates direct action ends with hemlock. 

MLK makes one comment that required deep rumination. He wrote, “we know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” While MLK calls out the failure of the church to come alongside in a style reminiscent of the first chapters of Revelation, the gospel itself flips his statement in on its head. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Injustice cannot be quietly dismissed for the sake of personal peace. Both called for truth, both called their peers to account, and both gave their lives for truth. MLK concludes, “If I have said anything in this letter that is an understatement of the truth and is indicative of an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me. If I have said anything in this letter that is an overstatement of the truth and is indicative of my having a patience that makes me patient with anything less than brotherhood, I beg God to forgive me.”